We Found Hope
by NutellaHeaven
Summary: During the Island Life of Mutual Killing, Hinata would think that romance would be the last thing on his mind. But perhaps a certain Ultimate Nurse can provide some comfort for him. Hinamiki (Hinata x Tsumiki) twoshot! *contains spoilers
1. A long walk on the beach

**Hinata PoV**

I couldn't rest at all. Not after what I saw.

I was sprawled onto my bed, but I had no desire to sleep. I kept becoming more and more irritated and my bed creaked loudly as I tossed and turned, which didn't help. After about an hour or so, I sat up, feeling extremely aggravated.

I wasn't completely conscious of what I was doing, and before I knew it, I found myself outside of my cottage by the hotel restaurant.

Why did this have to happen? I thought angrily to myself. Byakuya and Teruteru are dead! Why do I have to endure this?

I groaned in frustration.

The stars twinkled above as if they were mocking me for my predicament. They seemed so bright and full of hope while I was wallowing in dazed dread.

_I want to go home. I want to go home now._

I started to pace back and forth by the pool, which also seemed strangely tranquil and calm despite the gloomy and troubled aura that I was practically radiating.

I started to grind my teeth. The night seemed endless.

Morning was taking forever to come, and the aggravating silence of the night was torture.

"DAMN IT!" I cursed out loud, not caring who heard me. Only, a few moments later, I stopped pacing and I started to feel guilty about my yelling.

Yelling swear words isn't going to get me home.

Clenching my fists, I sat down by the edge of the pool. I could feel my shoulders slumping as I stared at my reflection on the glassy surface of the pool. My face was distorted... what did my expression like?

Sadness? Anger? Confusion? Elation?

No, definitely not that last one. It would be absurd for me to feel happy right now.

It was a twinge of despair. I felt a seed of despair, being planted inside of me.

Damn Monokuma. Damn killing game. Damn, damn, damn-

Snap!

My head instinctively shoots up to see the source of the sound. It came from the direction of the cottages. It sounded like a twig snapping, but I still couldn't shake the anxiety that quickly washed over me. I gulped before standing up slowly.

"Is someone watching me?" I nervously blurted out under my breath.

Maybe I should go back to my cottage...

I started to walk towards the cottages, eager to shake this feeling of uneasiness once I was safely locked up inside my cabin.

It seemed to take forever just to walk 10 feet since I kept glancing behind me and even when I saw nothing unusual, I was not reassured.

"Pull yourself together, Hajime." I muttered. "No one's gonna kill you, you're going to escape this godforsaken place, and you'll return safe and sound-"

Ironically, as soon as I said that, I saw a dark shadow approaching me by the cottages.

And I knew that the shadow was definitely not my own.

"WHO'S THERE?!" I yelled without thinking. A high-pitched scream filled my ears soon after.

"Eeeeeeeeeeek! I'm sorry!"

"Wha?" My ears perked up at the familiarity of the feminine voice. "Wait, TSUMIKI?!" The Ultimate Nurse visibly flinched at my loud voice, and I saw tears forming in the corners of her violet eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sooooorrrryyyy!" Tsumiki started apologizing frantically, repeating herself over and over again as if she was a broken record. Instantly I felt a pang of guilt.

"H-Hey, Tsumiki, you didn't do anything wrong." I reassured the timid girl, making a conscious effort to keep my voice low so I didn't intimidate her. "I assumed you were someone . . . shady, so it's my fault for scaring you."

"N-N-No!" Tsumiki stammered. "It's m-my fault! All my f-fault!"

"No, it isn't."

"Y-Yes it is! I wasn't being careful enough!"

"Really, Tsumiki. You're fine."

"Y-You don't need to lie to me, Hinata...!"

"Tsumiki-"

"I'll accept any p-punishment! B-Beat me if you want to! Or draw on me with markers! Or kick me! Or strip me! Or-"

"WHAT?! No!" I cried in shock. It took only one look at Tsumiki's face to know that she was being completely serious. Poor girl. What were you supposed to say to someone like this? I had no idea, but I felt kinda sorry for her. "You don't need to do anything like that, Tsumiki."

"R-Really?" She looked like she didn't believe me.

"Really."

"Y-You mean it?"

"Of course." I insisted. Tsumiki still seemed a bit hesitant, but she seemed to have calmed down a little at least. Her eyes were still moist and her mouth trembled slightly. She seemed like she wanted to say something, but she apparently decided against it and began to stare at her feet.

Now that I got a good look at Tsumiki up close, I had to admit, she was sort of pretty. I admit I didn't know her too well, but she didn't seem like a bad person at all. She just seemed very withdrawn and faint-hearted. I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to bully or mistreat such a cute girl.

Wait, did I just think that?

"U-Um... Hinata...?"

"Huh?" I was surprised to hear Tsumiki speak, and I looked down to meet her purple eyes with my own hazel eyes. "What is it?"

"If you don't mind me asking... why are you out here?" I gave Tsumiki a blank stare but I quickly regained my composure.

"Oh! Um..." My voice trailed off as I recalled the events of the day. We found Byakuya stabbed to death under a table at our party and we watched Teruteru get fried in a pool of lava.

I instantly felt sick.

"H-H-Hinata! Your face is pale! Are you feeling alright? Do you feel nauseous? Do you have a fever? Are you cold?" Tsumiki's voice was clearly panicked, and her eyes had widened so much they almost bulged out of her eye sockets.

"I'll be fine. It was just a rough day." I managed to choke out. "I couldn't sleep after seeing... THAT." Tsumiki made a whimpering sound, so she obviously understood what I was referring to.

"I-I couldn't sleep either. I'm sc-scared... so... I th-thought a walk would help me clear my mind..." she mumbled quietly. I wasn't really surprised that today's events had frightened her. She was such a delicate girl after all. But then again, I'm sure Byakuya and Teruteru's deaths left an impression on all of us.

"Yeah... what happened was... bad." I responded, lamely. _Are you freakin' serious right now, Hajime?_ I berated myself. _'Bad' is the worst word you could come up with to describe the shit you have gotten yourself into?_

Tsumiki had fallen silent, and she was fidgeting with her apron. I quickly averted my gaze from her. I didn't like seeing the violet-haired nurse look so sullen.

_Maybe I should do something. She's my classmate after all, so I should get to know her a little better . . . right?_

"Hey, Tsumiki."

"W-Wah! U-Um... what is it, Hinata...?"

"Let's go take a walk on the beach."

"Y-You want someone like m-me... to walk with you?"

"Of course I do."

"A-Are you sure? I... I'd only be a burden-"

"Tsumiki." I interrupted Tsumiki abruptly, causing her to utter a small gasp. "You're not a burden. We both need some time to relax and take our minds off of the trial, alright? B-Besides . . ." I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. "I want some company."

"O-Okay..." Tsumiki nodded meekly, but otherwise she didn't move. I figured that she probably expected me to lead the way while she followed like an obedient puppy. Really, I couldn't deny my concern for her. Despite being a nurse, she didn't seem like the epitome of health and stable well-being at all. She was just so... fragile.

"Come on, let's go." I grasped Tsumiki's left hand, which made her squeak, and I walked with her towards the beach on the First Island. Well, I was pretty sure that I dragged Tsumiki more than she actually walked, but it's the thought that counts.

The walk was pretty awkward, which wasn't too big of a surprise, especially since Tsumiki wasn't exactly a social butterfly. Still, the tension between the two of us was almost tangible.

_Come on, Hinata. Man up and say something._

"Uh, I really like your . . ." I tried to think of something that wouldn't sound creepy or perverted. "bandages." I wanted to punch myself as soon as the word came out of my mouth.

"Um . . ." Tsumiki slowly pulled her hand away from mine and brought it to her chest. She looked away from me as we continued walking.

" . . . I guess I made you feel pretty weird."

"I-It's not that! It's just . . . no one's ever told me that before . . ." Tsumiki's voice faded away and her shoulders tensed up as if she expected me to hit her for her response. I decided not to bring up the subject of her bandages again.

"Oh." I blushed in embarassment. I just made the atmosphere ten times more awkward. "Sorry."

" . . . N-No one's ever told me that before either."

"No one else has ever said 'sorry' to you?" I asked in disbelief.

"N-Never . . ." Tsumiki stuttered, trembling slightly. Geez, her life must have been rough even before coming to Hope's Peak.

"That must be tough."

"N-Not really . . . I'm used to it." Tsumiki smiled sheepishly, but it vanished right away. "People never say sorry when they take my lunch money or egg my house."

"You must know a lot of immature people."

"I-I never thought about it that way . . ." She looked pensive, as if I was trying to explain some sort of complicated and obscure philosophy. "W-What are the people that you know like?"

"Normal, I guess. My mom always got frantic whenever I was ill." I refrained from adding 'like you', because a guy shouldn't ever tell a girl that they remind him of his mom. "Thankfully, I didn't get sick too often. My parents took good care of me."

"Th-that's good! If you ever get sick I'll take good care of you! I'll give you lots and lots of shots!" I was a bit shocked at Tsumiki's sudden enthusiasm. "You should always drink 8 glasses of water a day and eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables! You should also disinfect all your cuts and never use drugs unless instructed by a medical professional, and cover your mouth when you sneeze-" She sneezed suddenly in the middle of her rapid speech, which was so perfectly timed, I had to let out a small laugh. Her sneeze sounded like a cute, high-pitched squeak. Tsumiki stared at me, blinking in confusion.

"D-Did I do something . . . wrong?" Her voice was almost inaudible.

"Not at all. I just noticed how chilly it is. Are you cold, Tsumiki?" I motioned towards the nurse's short sleeved blouse and ruffled skirt. She self-consciously pulled her skirt down.

"Um . . . a little bit."

"Try breathing on your hands. I always do that in the winter." Almost comically, Tsumiki starts puffing into the palms of her hands. I'm not sure if she meant to look silly on purpose, but I still chuckled. After a minute or so, Tsumiki was out of breath, so she decided to place her hands inside of her apron pockets.

"I . . . think it helped. But aren't you cold too, Hinata?"

"I'm fine."

"Y-You can have my apron! I don't need it!"

"No, you need it more than I do." Tsumiki and I made eye contact. "You know, you're very caring, Tsumiki."

"Ah . . ." She blushed and looked away from me.

"That was a compliment, by the way."

"That's . . . um . . . I . . . oh!" Tsumiki abruptly stopped walking and I stopped as well. I was about to ask why she had stopped, but then I realized that we had arrived at the beach. I had completely lost my sense of time. I glanced at Tsumiki, was was gaping at something in the sky. When I looked up, the sight caught my attention, too.

"Wow. There's a full moon tonight." I stood on the pale sand, mesmerized. The moonlight made the beach look a bit eerie, but strangely peaceful as well.

"It's so beautiful," Tsumiki spoke, gazing at the sky in awe. "It's so relaxing."

"Yeah, it is," I replied simply, too absorbed by the moon's radiant glow. It almost felt like I was being hypnotized. I was snapped out of my daze when I saw Tsumiki walk forward, with her gaze still fixed on the celestial body above. I wasn't sure why, but I felt compelled to watch her movements carefully.

It was a good thing I did so, because not even a few minutes later, she had tripped and was face-planting on the sand.

"Woah! Ts-Tsumiki!" I ran to her side and helped her to her feet. Tsumiki looked baffled as I help her up, but she became teary-eyed as soon as she was back onto her feet.

"Ah! I'm so clumsy! S-S-Sor-" she blubbered.

"Are you okay?" I asked her. Her jaw dropped.

"You're . . . not mad . . .?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"Oh . . .! Yes! I'm okay!"

"Good." I sighed in relief. Tsumiki seemed to be lost in thought as she lowered her head and refused to look me in the face. After a brief moment of silence, I decided to move closer to her so I could pat her on the back reassuringly.

"You're so kind, Hinata. So extremely kind." I heard Tsumiki murmur.

"Huh? Oh, thanks-"

"You're too good to me. I don't deserve your kindness."

"Wait-"

"Y-You're so nice to actually bother with pig barf like me..."

"Don't say that, Tsumiki!" I frowned. "You shouldn't believe what Saionji says."

"But everyone else doesn't deny-"

"I'm denying it." I stated firmly. "People shouldn't treat you like that, Tsumiki. You're a human being, too." Tsumiki gave me a blank stare.

"H-Hajime-" Tsumiki's face turned tomato red as she slapped a pale hand over her mouth. "O-Oh... I'm so-"

"Don't apologize,. You can call me Hajime, if you want."

"..." Tsumiki refused to look me in the face, but I saw a wide smile form on her lips. "Th-thank you... Hajime. P-Please... c-call me Mikan." I had to smile back at Tsumiki. She looked so pretty with a genuine smile on her face. If only she smiled like this more often.

I wish Tsumiki would always smile like this.

"Hey, Tsu- err, Mikan. Let's sit by the shore together."

"T-Together?"

"Of course!"

"I-I would like that... If you don't mind, Hajime!" I laughed as Mikan tried to hide her bright red face (which turned even brighter, somehow).

"I don't mind at all."

We seated ourselves on the sand, listening to the waves hitting the shore. The darkness of the night persisted, but it wasn't bothering me anymore. Not with Mikan sitting beside me.

"Are you feeling better, Mikan?" I asked, while watching the waves move back and forth against the shore.

"Y-Yes. Much better..."

"That's good."

"Do you feel better too, Hajime?"

"Yes-"

"Oh! D-Do you mind if I use your first name so freely? I'm really sorry about that-"

"Mikan. We're... friends aren't we?"

"W-Wha...?" Clearly, Mikan was caught off guard by my question. Still, I turned towards her to let her know that it was a truthful question.

"Friends..." she whispered quietly.

"Friends."

"I have a friend..."

"Yes you do, Mikan."

Mikan giggled. Her smile was so big, I thought her face might tear in half. And her eyes sparkled and shined brighter than the stars above.

Crap. I'm being so cheesy right now.

"Hajime... thank you...!" Mikan looked so happy, I almost forgot that we were prisoners on this island. It almost made me forget the pain of watching two of my classmates die brutally. The sheer joy that Mikan emanated was contagious. So I didn't protest when Mikan scooted a bit closer to me on the sand.

"D-Do you think we can get out of here, Hajime?" Mikan asked suddenly. I pursed my lips, thinking carefully about how to word my answer.

"Hopefully."

"H-Hopefully...?"

Hope. That word. So simple, yet so powerful. I had nearly forgotten that word in my grief over Byakuya and Teruteru.

"Yes. There is still hope..." I whispered. I wasn't even sure of what I was saying. Did I really believe that?

"You'll still be my friend when we escape, r-right?" Mikan squeaked.

I didn't even need to think about my answer.

"Definitely. I will always be your friend, Mikan."

Always. Such a loaded and uncertain word. Anything could happen in our future. There was no guarantee how long 'always' would be.

But Mikan and I had hope. A spark of hope that there would be an always. Hope that we could escape with the rest of our friends, together.

I wanted to always protect this hope, no matter how small and fragile it seemed.

As we sat together on the beach, smiling to ourselves, we noticed the sunrise. The water was painted in a warm orange glow. It was heavenly.

The moment felt magical. It felt holy. It felt special.

And I felt safe, at least for a moment.

Safe here, with Mikan.

**Author's Note: I really love this pairing! If you've never watched Mikan's Free Time Events from the game, I highly suggest doing so. Personally, I think Mikan is adorable and she's one of my favorite characters (even though *spoiler alert* she ends up murdering two people). Also, your advice, critique, and reviews are always welcome. I'd love to hear what you think! Lastly, thanks for reading!**

**EDIT: I rewrote some sections and I got rid of and replaced the "Time skip" line since I felt that it ruined the flow of the story (or what little of a story there is, since it's mainly just fluff). I tend to find myself in the habit of making edits several times to the same piece of writing.**


	2. My beloved

**Author's Note: Hello! I decided to make this Himamiki fanfic a twoshot, since I have nothing better to do and Hinata and Tsumiki is my OTP! This second part discusses Chapter 3 and the (vague and ambiguous) ending of Danganronpa: Goodbye Despair, so I'd love to know what you guys think! Please enjoy!**

* * *

**Hinata PoV**

I was sitting by myself in the hospital lobby. My head felt heavy as if a vice was slowly closing on my head.

So much had happened since I got first arrived at Jabberwock Island with everyone else. It was already frustrating enough that I couldn't remember a single thing from my time at Hope's Peak (not even my talent)! But now, we had been forced through two class trials, and six of us were dead or injured. Byakuya, Teruteru, Mahiru, and Peko were all dead. Fuyuhiko and Nekomaru were currently under the care of Monokuma after Fuyuhiko had his right eye slashed and Nekomaru was shot by a bazooka.

_It will take all of my willpower to refrain from strangling Monokuma or Monomi the next time I see them._

_If we stay on this island much longer, we're all gonna get screwed over. Unless I go insane from the trauma before I die._

_Wait, No!_

I shook my head violently.

_You have to at least TRY to be optimistic, Hajime! Beside, Fuyuhiko and Nekomaru aren't dead! . . . Yet._

I groaned and slumped in my seat. I felt like barfing. But then again, when have I NOT felt like barfing whenever I watched my classmates get slaughtered or injured?

I wasn't entirely sure why I was in the hospital in the first place. I had nothing better to do, I guess. Besides, I couldn't do anything fun or enjoyable without anxious thoughts nagging me in the back of my head.

Would Fuyuhiko be okay?

Could Nekomaru even survive a shot from a bazooka?

Why couldn't Nagito stop preaching about hope like a crazy cult leader?

Was Mikan alright taking care of Fuyuhiko by herself?

_Oh. That's right. I should check on Mikan and make sure the poor girl isn't overworking herself._ I didn't feel like doing anything else. Besides, I was sure that seeing Mikan would make me feel better.

With that thought in mind, I stood up and eagerly walked over to the metal door that lead to the patients' rooms. I went down a long hallway glancing around to see if I could spot Mikan anywhere. Pristine white walls and carpeting surrounded me, but I didn't see any sign of the violet-haired nurse. I even peeked through the windows of some of the rooms (and yes, I felt like a total stalker and massive creep).

Then, as I approached the end of the hallway, I heard a familiar voice.

"I-I'm very sorry . . .! Fuyuhiko is rest- Ah!" I found myself face-to-face with a certain Ultimate Nurse. Her eyes widened when she recognized me. "H-Hajime!"

"Hey, Mikan." I smiled at her, but she quickly looked away. "Uh, how are you?"

"F-Fuyuhiko's doing better! He just need some rest-" Mikan stuttered. She looked a bit uncomfortable and I noticed dark rings under her eyes. Her skin was pale, and her lips were pulled into a tiny frown.

"I'm glad to hear that, but I said 'how are YOU', Mikan."

"Me?" She visibly perked up. "Oh! T-There's no need to worry about m-me, Hajime! I should go-"

"Relax."

"H-Huh?"

"You should go relax. You look like you haven't slept at all." I was genuinely worried about Mikan, so I placed a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. She bit her lip and fidgeted with the edge of her skirt.

"No, I'm just worried . . ." Mikan paused as if trying to form a desperate excuse, which was incredibly obvious. "About Fuyuhiko! He hasn't been the same since . . ." She gulped nervously. "Peko's execution."

"Well, that's understandable. They were close, and Fuyuhiko just lost her. And he failed to save her from her execution, too."

"I-I suppose." Mikan's lip trembled.

"O-Oh!" I removed my hand from her shoulder. "That was a bad thing to say. I'm sorry." I apologized quickly, since Mikan looked as if she was about to start crying. I was half-expecting Nagito to suddenly sneak up behind me and whisper, 'making a girl cry? Not cool, Hajime'. But if he did that, I would've socked him in the face and made Mikan burst in tears anyway.

"H-Hajime! It's not like that!" Mikan stammered. She grabbed my left hand with both of her delicate hands. "I'm not u-upset at you at all! I could never be!"

"Then tell me what's bothering you," I replied. Mikan blushed and refused to look me in the eyes.

"It's just . . . I just thinking . . . if . . ." Mikan's voice trailed off and her hands shook. "If . . ."

"If?" I could feel my heart beating faster. Why was Mikan so nervous?

"If you died, like Peko. . . I would be very sad, Hajime. What if you got injured and I wasn't able to nurse you in time?" I could feel my heart pounding as tears began to fall from Tsumiki's eyes. "I would be very lonely . . ."

"H-Hey! Mikan!" I immediately place my right arm around her body and pat her on the back. "You don't need to cry! That's not going to happen!"

"B-But . . .!"

"You're a special friend to me."

"Special . . .?" Mikan looked up at me. "Is that . . . even possible?" I nodded.

"Of course." I pulled her closer to me. "I'm not going anywhere, Mikan."

"Oh. . ."

"You don't believe me, Mikan?" Mikan squeezed my left hand.

"No, I believe you, Hajime." She murmured, closing her eyes. "Because you . . . are the person who had forgiven me."

And then she smiled. I had never seen her smile so wide before. It was such a bright smile. I never wanted to stop looking at it. Mikan's smile was so happy and so full of hope.

Radiant and shining hope, like a glow-in-the-dark sticker.

God, I am the world's worst poet.

We stood together in the hospital hallway for a while, just holding onto each other. It would look creepy and suggestive from the outside, but I didn't really care.

I would never forget that moment, for as long as I lived.

* * *

_Fate is cruel._

_Fate doesn't care about what you want. Ever._

_Fate will break apart your most beloved memories and your most cherished dreams._

_Fate will trample and toy with your emotions like a puppeteer from hell._

That was why Mikan was laughing in front of me after she just got voted as the culprit for both Ibuki and Saionji's murder.

"That's right! The identity of the horrible blackened who murdered two girls is Mikan Tsumiki!" I took a deep breath and clenched my fists. It took all of my willpower to keep myself from screaming.

The horrified chatter and gasps of my classmates clearly indictated their alarm.

Of course we're shocked. Mikan is such a sweet girl. There must be some mistake. There must be some sort of explanation.

Mikan isn't a bad person.

"Hahahahahahahahahaha . . . hahahahahahahaha . . .!" Mikan giggled. I was frozen in place. I had no idea what to do. I had no idea what to say. All I could do at that moment was stare at her in disbelief.

"DON'T JUST LAUGH! SAY SOMETHING!" Souda shrieked, pointing a shaky finger at Mikan.

"Don't bother." Nagito quickly stepped between Mikan and Souda, and then he turned to me. "Hey, Hajime. I think she might have caught it, too."

"Huh?" I managed to choke out, completely aware of how unintelligent I sounded.

"Our motive for this murder. I think she caught it, too." My lip quivered.

"D-Despair Disease?" Nagito nodded.

"Yeah. She's no longer the Mikan Tsumiki we knew." I felt like he just ran me over with a bulldozer. Despair Disease turned Mikan into the sinister girl in front of me?

" . . .That's awful," I croaked.

I don't want to believe it. How could I believe it, when Mikan and I were smiling together a few days ago?

"It's not that bad. If it wasn't for the Despair Disease, I wouldn't have been able to . . ." An ominous smile spread across Mikan's face. "remember my beloved."

"Y-Your beloved . . .?" I couldn't look directly at her face.

"My beloved . . . they always forgave me." Mikan's eyes were glazed over as if she was hypnotized. "That is the key difference between you all and my beloved. They accepted me. They LOVED me. And I love them! So I could die happy right now!"

_But I forgave you, Mikan. I accepted you._

_I loved you._

"B-But what about the times you spent with us?" I sputtered. Mikan glanced at me. For a split second, I saw her give me a small smile. It was the slightest of smiles, the slightest tug of her lips, yet my heart skipped a beat.

_This is too much. It's just too much._

"That's in the past." Mikan said, simply. Was it just me, or did she look sorrowful? Her eyes refused to meet mine, and she tapped her fingers together nervously.

"But-"

"Oh, Mooooooooooonokuma, can we start the punishment?"

_How did it come to this? Why is this happening?_

I began to grind my teeth together. The sinking feeling in my chest wouldn't go away. I didn't want to see Mikan go.

"Now then, I've prepared a VERY special punishment for the Ultimate Nurse, Mikan Tsumiki!" Monokuma cackled, ignoring my obvious grief. I started to tremble.

"Mikan! Why does it have to end like this?!" I shouted, despite knowing that my yelling wouldn't prevent the impending execution. Mikan had started to walk away, but she turned her head to look at me.

" . . .Can you forgive me?" I gasped at the phrase Mikan whispered.

" . . .You already know the answer . . ." I covered my mouth and choked back my tears.

Because I'll always forgive you, Mikan.

Mikan remained silent, but I saw a warm smile spread across her face before she started to walk away from me again.

As she moved farther and farther away, I had to wonder. Was Mikan's change in behavior a revelation of her true colors? Or was it a symptom of the Despair Disease?

Either way, I would never know.

"Please forgive me, my beloved. The one who's going to die with the hope of finally seeing you again!" Mikan clasped both of her hands together, as if she was praying. My chest felt heavy as I heard the words leave her mouth.

_Whoever Mikan's beloved is, I envy them._

_They're the luckiest person who ever lived._

"IT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!"

I closed my eyes.

_Goodbye Mikan._

* * *

I watch as a ship sails away in the distance. The ship bears the symbol that represents the Future Foundation, and I actually feel a little sad to see the boat go.

I am sitting on the shore of Jabberwock Island. The REAL Jabberwock Island.

It's been over a few years since I woke up from the New World Program. I am slowly recovering the memories that I had made inside of the New World Program each and every passing day. I still haven't recovered them all, though. It will be a long and lengthy process, one that may even last up until the day I die (at least, that's what the trio from the Future Foundation said), but I am not afraid or doubtful of the future that I chose.

I will remember everything one day. I'll recover my lost memories before I die. That's my hopeful and heartfelt wish.

After spending five years out of the New World Program, I was already starting to remember so much. Bits and pieces came to me every day, eventually forming hazy and foggy images, as if the events had happened decades ago.

There was the time when Souda and I decided to crash the beach party that Sonia planned.

The time when Hiyoko invited me to squish ants with her.

The time when Fuyuhiko claimed that he was going through fried dough cookie withdrawal.

The time when Mikan chased me around with a medical syringe.

I grinned.

I treasured the memories that I had made inside of the New World Program, especially the ones with Mikan.

She's one of the main reasons why I decided to stay on the island.

I turn around to face the building behind me.

Mikan is inside that building, lying within the confines of a glass container.

She hasn't woken up yet, and neither have the others.

But I will wait however long it takes for her to wake up, because I yearn for the day when she will finally open her eyes.

I start to walk towards the building.

"I'm not going anywhere, Mikan."


End file.
